Gynecologic instrument



May 21, 1940. D. E. SINGER GYNECOLOGIC INSTRUMENT Filed Jan. 28. 1939 INVENTOR DAVID EVANS SINGER ATTORNEYS Patented May 21, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GYNECOLOGIC INSTRUIWENT Application January 28, 1939, Serial No. 253,311

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a new and improved gynecologic instrument for the insertion and placement of diaphragms-containing suitable medicaments, or designed for the prevention of contagious diseases within the human body.

For satisfactory use such an invention must be sanitary, non-injurious to the tissues with which it comes in contact, quickly adjustable to many sizes of diaphragms, and capable of being readily disengaged therefrom for withdrawal. of the instrument from the body. Additionally, the instrument should be capable of being expeditiously dismembered for the purpose of sterilization.

There is disclosed in a co-pending application of Herbert R. Simonds, John G. Moyston, Anne Kennedy and Norman Peter Anderson, Serial No. 145,566, filed May 29, 1937, an adjustable instrument comprising a rod and handle, the rod being screw threaded for engagement with the screw threads of the handle. The instant invention also includes a rod and handle but utilizes an improved construction in lieu of the complemental screw threaded arrangement of the rod and handle for adjusting the instrument.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a self-contained instrument readily adjustable to all sizes of diaphragms-one which is easily dismantled so that it can be cleaned and sterilized.

A still further object is to provide an instrument structurally characterized by a few simple parts, which can be manufactured and assembled inexpensively, and enabling the application of a 5 diaphragm in the human body in a sanitary manner; and also capable of being readily disengaged from the diaphragm for withdrawal.

Generally, the invention comprises a rod and handle, the rod on its inner portion having an index detent which slides in a slot in the handle. At predetermined points along the slot are notches, angled in relation to the slot, with a millimeter scale formed opposite the notches to enable the operator to fit the instrument to any given sized diaphragm.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the combinations, arrangements and novel functional relationships of elements, as set forth in the following specification and pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the instrument, shown in closed position, with its overall length reduced to a minimum.

Fig. 2 shows a longitudinal section of Fig. 1

with the instrument in extended position and with a diaphragm mounted in elongated fashion.

Fig. 3 is a top plan View of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a top plan view showing the diaphragm freed from instrument and illustrating the rela 5 tive movement of the rod with respect to the bead of the diaphragm.

In the embodiment shown in the drawing, the instrument comprises a rod 5 and a handle 6. The rod, formed of non-corrodible material, is 10 smooth and round in contour, with its outer extremity slightly curved and its outer distal end equipped with a notch 1. The inner extremity of the rod is straight and is designed to cooperate with handle 6, as will presently appear. 15

The handle, also constructed from suitable non-corrodible material, is bored longitudinally at 8, to present a tubular formation, and at a point intermediate its terminal, there is provided a slot 9, which on one edge is flanked by a row 20 of inclined notches II]. In juxtaposition to the notches, and preferably extending along the opposite side of slot 9, is a millimeterscale, H.

Rod 5 is designed for slidable engagement within the handle 6, which latter has a tripping- 25 nub l2 at its outer end, operating in conjunction with notch 1 of the rod, to sustain a diaphragm l3.

On the inner extremity of rod 5 is an index detent Hi, comprising a shank l5 and a head I6, 30 the shank being intended to fit to a nicety in any one of the notches in.

' The instrument with its overall length reduced to a minimum is depicted in Fig. 1. In this position detent I4 reposes at the bottom end of 35 slot 9. A suitable diaphragm, as M, is then selected, for example, one of mm. diameter. The operator, holding the instrument as it appears in Fig. 1 subsequently moves the shank l5 of the detent l4 into the slot opposite the '75 mm. 40 indice on the scale H and stretches the diaphragm appropriately, whereupon bead I! thereof, is engaged at diametrically opposite points, with notch l of the rod and nub I2 of the handlesee particularly Figs. 2 and 3. 45

If a diaphragm of another size, 1. e. mm. were selected, it would be a matter of less than a second to adjust the instrument to accommodatethis size. No skill, mechanical ingenuity, or mental calculation is required for the adjust- 50 ing operation.

Tension of the resilient annular rim of the diaphragm, when positioned upon the instrument, locks detent M securely in the notch. The instrument with the mounted diaphragm is 55 next inserted in the body cavity. When the diaphragm is positioned over the cervix, the operator moves the detent to the left into slot 9,.

thereby turning and advancing the rod so that notch l is released from the bead of, the diaphragm, and the latter caused to resume its normal contour-see Fig. 4.

'The diaphragm is thus superposed over the cervix and free of the instrument, which may then be removed. Release of the diaphragm from the instrument, effected as it is by themovement of the index detent up the inclined notch into the slot, is a simple and quick operation, unattended by the slightest diffioulty.

An alternative method of releasing the instrument from the diaphragm after insertion, is accomplished by turning handle 6 so that nub I2 is moved from the distended rim of the diaphragm, it being understood the pressure against the projected extremity of the rod and the diaphragm will prevent their rotation sufficiently to allow disengagement of the diaphragm.

To sterilize, it is only necessary to remove detent from rod5 and separate rod 5 and handle 6 for immersion in an antiseptic solution or boiling water. Dismemberment takes but a few seconds.

The instrument, being devoid of sharp edges and formed wholly of non-corrodible material,

does not injure the tissue during either insertion,

scribed, but of equivalent means for performing the recited functions. It is desired to reserve the right to eiTect such changes as may come fairly within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A gynecologic instrument comprising a tubular handle, a rod movable longitudinally and oscillatably within the handle and having an outer extremity projecting beyond the handle, means for sustaining a resilient diaphragm between adjacent terminals of the handle and rod, said handle having a slot and a notch communicating with said slot,'and said rod carrying a detent which is movable out of the slot into the notch to sustain the diaphragm in distended position, the depth of the notch being such as to permit sufiicient angular movement between the handle and the rod to induce disengagement of the diaphragm upon moving the detent from the notch into the slot.

DAVID EVANS SINGER. 

